MacNeal Hospital CEO steps down

Brian J. Lemon will resign as president and CEO of MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, effective in late March.

Mr. Lemon, who joined the hospital staff 18 years ago as a payroll manager, said he is leaving to pursue other opportunities, possibly outside of the health care field.

Mr. Lemon told employees of the hospital two weeks ago, one week before the hospital's parent company, MacNeal Health Network, announced it was laying off 60 of its 2,700 employees. Mr. Lemon said his decision had nothing to do with the layoffs, or with new ownership of the hospital. MacNeal was purchased by Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanguard Health Systems Inc. in February 2000. "It is a personal decision," he said.

Until a permanent replacement is named, Luke McGuinness, Vanguard's president of regional operations and former CEO of MacNeal, will serve as interim CEO.